Release Day Blitz: Awaken - Kristen Day

Awaken

Daughters of the Sea Book #2

By Kristen Day

The sacrifices we make have the power to shift the very fabric of who we are, and ultimately who we are meant to be…

After learning of her true destiny as the intended Leader of the Tydes, Anastasia Whitman must now embark on a perilous quest to the Underworld before the age of eighteen in order to plant the seed of immortality and complete her essence to become a true Sea Goddess. But before she can make her legendary journey, an unexpected new student transfers to Lorelei; initiating a sequence of events that will unravel Stasia’s new life, and test the boundaries of her relationship with the mysterious, dark, and sexy Finn Morrison. The line between the Underworld and the Living begins to blur as gruesome ghosts, morbid reveries, and pure evil haunt her waking hours as well as her sanity. Once the details of Finn’s own startling destiny are revealed, the dangerous secrets he’s been hiding will threaten the very love Stasia believed to be indestructible. As time begins to run out, she will be forced to choose between the one she loves and the destiny she cannot escape.

  

About The Author:

I am a southern belle at heart with a crazy streak that desperately tries to escape at every opportunity. I love all things nostalgic, rustic, and quirky. I've been told I see the world through rose-colored glasses, but I prefer to think of them as kaleidoscope glasses - swirling and morphing reality into something I can digest (who hasn't pretended those pasty lima beans were really kiwi strawberry jelly beans?).

I am the author of the DAUGHTERS OF THE SEA trilogy, which includes FORSAKEN, AWAKEN, and CHOSEN (Winter 2012). I love all books, but really enjoy writing young adult, paranormal romances. I've loved to write for as long as I can remember. My first published work was my poem RED in second grade (you guessed it - it was a poem about the color red - life altering, I know) that won me 5 gold stars and a spot in my elementary school's poetry book. That's when my addiction to the written word officially began. I was the only kid in fifth grade that actually enjoyed diagramming sentences. Go ahead and laugh – it’s okay.

When I'm not writing I'm making jewelry, painting, drinking sweet tea, watching the discovery channel, or going on random adventures in the mountains of North Carolina with my amazing husband. I graduated from Appalachian State University and dream of becoming a full time novelist.

    

 

Book Review: Class Collision: Fall from Grace - Annette Mackey

Author: Annette Mackey

Genre: New Adult: Fiction, New Adult

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com):  What if you didn't know your boyfriend was worth millions 

Born into wealth and privilege, David spends his days rattling the servants and torturing the maid until he is kidnapped for ransom and left for dead. Grueling years follow until he meets Linda. She's sassy, pigheaded, beautiful and way more than he can possibly handle. Hate, love and passion combine as he tries to win her heart. She sees him as a drifter. Little does she know he's a prince in disguise. Set during the Great Depression, Class Collision will transport you to a simpler time filled with heartache and unexpected love.

Review:  Class Collision: Fall from Grace was an impulsive buy from Amazon.com recently.  Between liking the cover, and the award it had recieved for Reader's Favorite in 2011, I figured I'd give it a shot.  $.99 is not a huge risk, you know?

What really drew me to the book was the story of rich man falling into the normal class - or in this case, below.  I don't know why, but something about being humbled like that seemed like it would make a good story.  Heartwrenching is more like it.  David goes through so much in just this one book, it's hard to imagine another full book after this one.  At the open of this book you really, really want to hate David.  He is arrogant to a fault, and he's just a boy.  But as he and his brothers are kidnapped and the events there after, it becomes harder and harder to read.  It feels like no matter what, David cannot catch a break. 

What I Loved:  David finds humility.  While it is found in the worst, most horrible ways in some cases, it's still nice for him to be knocked off of his pedistool.  Unfortunately, he ends up surrounded by really bad people for many years, but this experience does not make him a worse person.  He ends up growing into an honorable, hard working, young adult.  He despises violence, and stands up for wrongs if he can.  No matter how many blows he takes, he seems to get back up and carry on with life.  In the end, the reader really loves David.  So when he starts falling for Linda, the sweetness, and innocense of his emotions is very appealing.  

Not So Much:  The first half of the book was kind of long.  There were moments, mostly the orphanage, that seemed like could have been shortened a chapter or two.  I had a point where I almost felt done with the book.

In the end, this book was very clean, and honorable. While the book is written for the New Adult era, this book would be just fine to read as a teenager, though I'm not sure the characters would be quite as appealing as something that was written for that age group.

Book Review: Robin: Lady of Legend - RM ArceJaeger

Indy Author: R. M. ArceJaeger

Genre: Young Adult - FairyTale, Romance, Historical

Synopsis (From Goodreads.com): What if Robin Hood wasn't the man you thought him to be—what if he wasn't a man at all?

Robin of Locksley is young, headstrong, and about to receive the worst birthday present of her life. Still struggling to define herself in a society that believes women are fit for little more than governing a household and bearing children, she balks at her father's plans for her future, but the consequences of her rebellion prove deadly. Hunted by both her father and the Sheriff, Robin is forced to hide her identity and seek refuge as an outlaw in Sherwood Forest.

Disguised as a lad for protection, Robin maintains a careful isolation from the world around her...until she chances upon a young boy being beaten to death by the Sheriff's soldiers. Her rescue of the youth marks the beginning of her leadership in Sherwood forest and of the unfortunates who seek refuge therein. Robin's endeavors to provide a life of honor and purpose for her people while aiding the land's downtrodden win her high esteem, but enrage the Sheriff of Nottingham, who plots a deadly fate for her and her band.

As the Sheriff's traps close in around her and assassins seek to bring her down, Robin must risk losing love, leadership, and life if she is to save her people and fulfill her destiny as one of history's greatest heroes.

Alive with adventure and danger, sword fights and heists, hatred and love, Robin: Lady of Legend is the never-before-told tale of the girl who became Robin Hood.

Review:  I love Robin Hood!  Just the entire idea of this fairy tale makes me smile.  Of course I've said this before in many of my past reviews.  I've recently reviewed Scarlet, and Lady Thief which is another Robin Hood series that I've been reading lately.  I'm pretty sure this book is a stand-alone though - so don't think I'm getting you wrapped up in another three-year long series! (yes, even I am relieved sometimes when a book is...just a book!)  And though I always knew there were books depecting Robin as a girl, this the first one I have ever picked up. 

 

I found Robin: Lady of Legend in one of those Amazon emails - Young Adult books.  This book was listed as a break through book, something like that.  Given that, and the good reviews,  I decided to give it a go. 

 

What I loved:  I loved how the author worked in all the pertinant characters, and quirks and characteristics everyone knows and loves about the Robin Hood stories.  I especially liked how, though she was a girl, Robin came off as not only an inspirational leader, but she also had that quirkly, slighly sarcastic, witty personality.  Honestly, her dialogue is probably what I enjoyed the most about this book.  That, and the fact that despite the obvious, the author did not really change too much about the book.  (I, of course, kind of like the opposite when it comes to the Scarlet series, so apparently it doesn't matter as long as the overlying theme is there!)  This light heartedness, and "merry-ness" is something I really, REALLY loved.  While the characters are oppressed, and outcast, they are happy and have found a life, and a sense of purpose in this book, which is kind of a relief from some of the other depections (books and movies alike).  They get angry, of course, and desire justice, but the book as a whole is not painted in this meloncholy light as others have been.

 

Another good point in this book is that while Robin is excellent, she was not completely and utterly awesome, the best ever ever! She was pretty humble, and even had doubts on her own abilities.  She had short comings, and needed help (though she wasn't overly good at asking for it.)  She was a leader, so there was an air of arrogance, but it wasn't overwhelming; in fact I loved her half-smiles of confidence when she knew her plan was unfolding just as she'd planned.  This, in my mind, makes her even stronger than the characters who just happen to be the best at everything and barely have shortcomings to speak of.

 

Not So Much:  I felt like this story got long in some areas, and in other areas I wanted more.  There is a bit of romance (which I will not reveal much about in this review), and I wish a bit more time was taken in formulating this side of the relationship.  A little passion, maybe?  I also would have liked to have seen more heists; stopping of the rich in the streets, etc.  We only were "there" for a few of them - although my favorite was when the sherriff himself was taken! 

 

All-in-all, I did really enjoy this book.  It is very tame on the violence, and nothing inappropriate to speak of at all.  Very clean, and yet, entertaining.  Proving to the world that cussing, gory blood, drugs, sex, alcohol (oh wait...there was a bit of that!  But this IS a Robin Hood book.) really aren't necessary to make a book entertaining!  I would allow even a younger teenager pick up this book, should they want!

Cover Reveal: Awaken - Kristen Day

Awaken

Daughters of the Sea Book #2

By Kristen Day

The sacrifices we make have the power to shift the very fabric of who we are, and ultimately who we are meant to be…

After learning of her true destiny as the intended Leader of the Tydes, Anastasia Whitman must now embark on a perilous quest to the Underworld before the age of eighteen in order to plant the seed of immortality and complete her essence to become a true Sea Goddess. But before she can make her legendary journey, an unexpected new student transfers to Lorelei; initiating a sequence of events that will unravel Stasia’s new life, and test the boundaries of her relationship with the mysterious, dark, and sexy Finn Morrison. The line between the Underworld and the Living begins to blur as gruesome ghosts, morbid reveries, and pure evil haunt her waking hours as well as her sanity. Once the details of Finn’s own startling destiny are revealed, the dangerous secrets he’s been hiding will threaten the very love Stasia believed to be indestructible. As time begins to run out, she will be forced to choose between the one she loves and the destiny she cannot escape.

Book Review: Ignite Me - Tahereh Mafi

Author:  Tahereh Mafi

Genre: Young Adult - Romance, Dystopian, Fantasy

Series:  Shatter Me - Book 3

Synopsis (from Goodreads):   Juliette now knows she may be the only one who can stop the Reestablishment. But to take them down, she'll need the help of the one person she never thought she could trust: Warner. And as they work together, Juliette will discover that everything she thought she knew - about Warner, her abilities, and even Adam - was wrong.

Review:  I’ve been meaning to write this review for a while now.  I probably finished the book a month ago, and you know…life.  Anyhow, first off, let me just say I really do love this series.  I’m about ready to go ahead reread all three again, just for the fun of it.  The story, and the characters were just so good.  I loved the premise; I mean dystopian meets X-Men, who wouldn’t?  I found myself drawn to read Ignite Me in a way that I haven’t really been experiencing as of late.  You know how it is…you put down the book because it’s been at least an hour, and you have kids and a husband to pay a little attention too, but twenty minutes later you find yourself right back in the same spot with the book again.  It consumed me more than I consumed it.

So yes, I loved Ignite Me.  Just loved it.  I love Tahereh Mafi’s writing style, and the characters she created.  I love the world – well, that’s relative; I love reading about the world, I wouldn’t want to live there though.  I especially loved learning a bit more about Warner, or Aaron rather.  It felt so indulgent to get so much background on him after the first 2.5 books, but I soaked it all in.  I loved that there was some emotional rollercoastering going on as well.  There were parts where I, myself, felt near to tears.  That’s good.  I like that.  As long as the main character didn’t die.  Then I don’t like that!  ;)

There were, however, parts that I didn’t love so much.  It was more an aftertaste than anything.  Like when you start to drink something and it’s so wonderful that you finish it in that first taste, but then after you’ve sat there for a bit you discover that it wasn’t quite as good as you thought it was?  Hmm…that sounds a little harsh.  Let me elaborate….but first a warning, if you haven’t read this book and don’t wish to know details about it…stop here.

 ********************************************************************************************************************

So typically I’m all for the first guy that is presented as the love interest in a triangle such as this.  Perhaps it is because it is the first person that the author makes me fall in love with, and I hate the idea of this conflict of emotions.  However, after their encounter in Unravel Me, I knew Warner was the guy.  There was just something about him in that book, not to mention Destory Me,  that makes you just want him to win.  And then you start reading Ignite Me, and it is just reaffirmed over and over again.  Tahereh Mafi is an expert at writing these wonderfully delightful and passionate kissing scenes, and these tense moments between boy and girl that make your knees weak and your heart thump.  I’m sure this is a large part of her appeal as an author…(plus the superhumans!).  But then there is Adam.  Adam who was so wonderful in Shatter Me, and patient and loving.  And that shower scene!!!  He loved Juliette, that is so hard to forget.  When you start to read Ignite Me this is what you remember; the Adam who loves Juliette.  But what you get is a very angry, unrelenting, careless person.  I kept waiting on some kind of reconciliation (not for he and Juliette to get back together, but an acknowledgement of their behavior and the love that they did share).  I waited on him to be reasonable.  I waiting on his own happy ending. Something!  And you get tastes of things.  Maybe a new love interest?  (But no details.)  A fresh start with his new family?  (But no details.)  I felt so, incomplete without the second half of this book (at least I felt like he was the second half of this book from Shatter Me getting some kind of closure too.  It sort of drove me a bit crazy.

The other thing that kind of got to me was the ending.  Here we’ve worked up to this battle.  It’s been 2 (and then some) books now, and the struggle has been long and harsh.  So the time for the final battle has arrived, and not only does everything go almost exactly as planned, but Juliette walks in and although she does get lost on the ship, and has to battle with an unknown secret weapon, she easily takes everyone down and it’s done.  I was sort of waiting on the other shoe to drop.  Surely something is going to happen…nope.  Warner comes climbing up out of a pit, and they all live happily ever after.  The end. 

In short;  I think, maybe perhaps…the third book was rushed. 

Would I recommend this series?  Yes. I loved it.  For your teenager?  Eh, probably I don’t know.  The scenes are right on the edge.  And there is some sexual content….think Twilight, they work right up until that moment and…fade out, next scene.  So, that part of it is all implied.  But it’s still a mature book.